MASTANI

What is a perfect end to a rich and heavy Mughlai Meal? A kulfi? Well, I prefer a cool refreshing falooda. Like the ice cold Shahi Gulab Falooda .

I always have at Shalimar in Bhendi Bazar after devouring my favorite tandoori raan masala and other spicy rich non-veg delights.

And what is a perfect end to a spicy Kolhapuri Meal? It’s a Mastani – no doubt about it – a cool, refreshing, lip-smaking Mastani to quench your fires and perk you up with it’s blissful sweet cool revitalizing effect.

Mastani is to Pune what Falooda is to Mumbai. You get Mastani at many places in Pune. The first time I tasted Mastani when I was a small boy was at Kawre Cold drink House near Ganpati Chowk off Laxmi Road, but now I feel that their Mastani isn’t as good as before, and Punekar’s have their favorites like Sujata in Sadashiv Peth, which is close to the “Kolhapuri” food district of Pune near Peru Gate, but I like the Mastani at Gujar Mastani House near City Pride on Satara Road.

At Gujar, I order a “Bajirao Mastani”. If you look at the menu, you will get confused, as there feature all types of fancy Mastanis fortified with dry fruits and all sorts of rich high-calorie embellishments, which will in fact will make you feel heavy and slothful, rather than quench, stimulate, revitalize and perk you up. So remember the golden rule, the “signature” no-frills authentic item will always be at the top of the menu, least expensive in that class – so go ahead and order it.

The contents of the tall glass comprise an attractively appetizing looking and fragrant layered creamy milky liquid of increasing density topped with ice-cream, with a straw thrust vertically through. The glass is so full, that in order not to spill the stuff, you first sip through the straw a bit of the deliciously sweet pineapple syrup at the bottom, which feels heavenly as it mingles with, permeates, and overcomes, the spicy “Kolhapuri” aftertaste on your tongue. [And if you are just plain parched, dehydrated and thirsty, the first sweet sip itself is deliciously thirst-quenching].

Then you have small dollops of vanilla and pineapple ice-creams that adorn the crown. After that you can savor the Mastani as you please, but I like to stir the contents into a creamy mélange and spoon the delicious concoction onto my tongue, roll it in my mouth and savor every drop, rather than hastily suck the liquid via the straw straight into my throat down the hatch. The “Bajirao Mastani” at Gujar is pineapple flavored and the small juicy pieces of pineapple at the end leave you with a tangy feeling.

I don’t know if you get “Mastani” in Mumbai, or elsewhere. But next time you visit Pune, do enjoy a Mastani. Eat a “Kolhapuri” meal to your heart’s content and end off with a Mastani, or just have one if you are feeling parched on a hot summer day as a thirst-quencher. And tell me, didn’t you feel refreshed and perked up.

SABARI NEST, MYLAPORE

Sabari Nest 105,

Radhakrishan Raod,

Mylapore , Chennai

Nilgiris nest restaurant now being renamed Sabari Nest is definetly a good option if you are tired of all the fine dining places and just want to have good food that tastes like homemade sunday-nonveg-lunch,do u get it?? the chilli-chickens and pepper fries made inSouth Indian homes on causal sunday afternoons usually putting you into after-lunch-nap, just to make you more lazy!

The place is seldom crowded,and you would find just a few people dwelling in the hotel rooms coming down for food. The ambience is not worth to be described, but it serves the needs being equipped with utilities like napkins,cutlery etc..But being from nilgris nest and hanging out pictures of cool green ooty, the A/C must be giving a comfort of chennai A/C restaurant atleast if not ooty temperature.The A/C just worked at very low levels.The service guys are very pleasant.And the best feature of this place is reserved parking right on the side from the main road.

I had been there for kongunadu feast,a buffet with all the specialties from the kongu region.The buffet with a cost of 250rs and had lot of varieties from soup,starters,desserts,sweets,and mutliple rice options,briyani and they were making hot Kal paniyarams in the dinning room as well.

The chicken and the fish kolambu tasted so native and there were lot of vegetable curries like yam cutlets,ladyfingers and brinjals turning out to be prepared in speciality methods of each kongu district.

The namakal egg briyani was the best,the briyani tasted just great without the stomach pinching masala and spices.Being used to the spice infused Chetinad and Hydrabadi briyanis day after day, this tasted so good.

There were numerous condiments, palakad chips,salads,pickles,curd rice with fresh fruits and for desserts there was jaggery,urud dhal laddus,Dhal payasam and ice creams,fruit salads.It was def a feast and was satisfying to the core to the money that I was paying.

This place would not serve a friends day-out or romantic eveining,but would def serve tasty food in a quiet place away from buzzing hotels in chennai.